Novaya Zhizn'
by WhiteSwordsman
Summary: After surviving Operation Snake Eater, a man returns to work for the boss he used to despise- but Ocelot and Kaz aren't too pleased with the newcomer...
1. Chapter 1

"Capture the prisoner who is being held hostage at an enemy base and bring him back."

It was the same mission he had to do... again. Venom Snake was a man who never really minded recruiting soldiers, but he disliked saving them a bunch of times, especially if the recruit has no skill whatsoever. Ever since he first met Skull face Kaz was driven to have more staff at Mother Base, fearing of what would happen last time if the base was attacked again. He couldn't help but feel sympathy for the man. Afterall, Kaz had been through a lot for the past three weeks. The fear from the Skull Unit made him lack sleep, fearing that he would wake up tied to the shack again, waiting for Big Boss to save him still.

As the chopper reached close enough to the ground, Snake was able to leap off, motioning Quiet to follow. Their mission was in Afghanistan, a small village overtaken by the enemy, probably Cipher. Snake looked to his left, only to find that his partner had left his side and proceeded onward on top of a hill, being able to scope out the area. Venom looked through his binoculars and tagged each target. Seven tangos to far, not counting the two at the guard posts. After signaling Quiet to get ready, he silently crept through the dry grass, concealed by the dark shadows of the night. He had Quiet take out any guard in his way by using a suppressed sniper rifle. He was thankful to have such a talented shooter on his side, for he knows how difficult it was to have a one on one sniper battle.

As he reached another building, he heard muffled cried coming from inside. Oddly, no guards were posted, not even an enemy chopper. In fact, the place looked deserted. All he heard was the dust blowing in the wind and the muffled plea. Any man with common sense would assume this was an ambush or a trap, but Big Boss laughed at danger. So many times he had nearly encountered death that when the time finally came he would be able to greet it like an old friend.

Now why did he have to save this hostage again? He scanned the man with his binoculars from a safe distance- only to find that his stats were all unknown. Maybe it was a sign of danger, or the man had just arrived and none of his records were set in yet. Either way, his suspicion grew, cautiously stepping through the abandoned gates and beside the first building, gripping his rifle in case of a surprise attack. He pushed the metal door slightly, emitting an eerie creak, causing the tied hostage to jump.

Big Boss quickly scanned the area before procedure with the rescue mission- all clear. The man was on the table with his head covered by a brown sack and his hands and feet were tied, leaving the surround skin to turn purple. The target wore rags, so this man must be a poor civilian. Hearing the desperate gasps for air, Snake hesitantly reached for the sack, only to be stopped by Ocelot.

"Boss, it's better if you keep it on. Who knows what lies underneath the mask... Take him back to Mother Base so we can take care of him"

He shrugged to himself and left the sack on. With one casual swoop, he lifted the man-who was surprisingly light- and carried him outside where he was able to Fulton him. He arrived at an open area and set the man down with a huff. This man's groaning and heavy breathing started to annoy him, and he barely carried him twenty feet away from the building! Eager to complete the mission, Venom buckled the man to the Fulton device before sending him off. As soon as the device left ed off the ground, the hostage panicked and started to squirm, sending him flying into the air with a feminine scream.

I really hope the ride doesn't kill him, he chuckled to himself, taking out a cigar. As he began to flick the lighter, Ocelot's voice appeared again.

"Boss, you may want to see this... This prisoner you rescued... well- let's just say you might recognize him." The cowboy-russian's tone did not seem pleased. "Get back to Mother Base ASAP."

Uh oh, what happened... Why was this man so important to him? Everyone he knew who wasn't in his nation was either an enemy or dead. There wasn't anyone else he could think of... His worst fear was that it was either EVA, but the hostage looked masculine- well, a little masculine. Also, EVA never really screamed, and she loved danger as much as he did.

Maybe it was a younger version of Ocelot. And god, that would have been worse than Eli. He admired Ocelot's loyalty, but to have two of them... It was equivalent to starting a fanbase. Venom ordered a chopper in his direction, taking in a couple more puffs before he threw the cigar in the sand.

"This is Pequod! I have arrived at the LZ! Will stand by!" It wasn't long before his ride was here. The propeller blew against the sand as the chopper began to lower itself in order for Venom to climb aboard. Before they left, he signaled quiet to leave her position and get in the chopper. Feeling exhausted, he slouched in his seat while setting his gun off to the side. It was time to see who this familiar person was...

-

Ocelot wanted to shoot himself in the face.

How was this man still alive? How did he get here of all places? Kaz had him tightly restrained to the chair in the interrogation room, suggesting to shock him every time he didn't comply. But Ocelot shook his head, stating that the electricity would arouse him rather than making him feel miserable. He pulled off the sack, wanting to look the man in the eyes, some part of him hoping that it's someone else who looks similar to this pathetic soul. As soon as the cloth was pulled off of the man's face, he gasped loudly before looking anxiously around- then, stopping to realize Ocelot in front of him.

"Who the hell are you?" He squinted his eyes. He was still as bold as he remembered. He ignored the question and pulled up a chair in front of him before sitting down with his legs crossed, getting comfortable. Knowing the man's attitude, it was going to be a long day. Kaz pulled out a chair as well, but sat farther behind.

"What I want to know is why you're here," Ocelot continued casually, as if it were a normal conversation.

But, of course, this man did not like the way he was being treated. "Last time I checked, I was being carried and flown over here. But that's what I remember, I don't know the exact details." He raised a sarcastic brow. Kaz gritted his teeth before taking a few breaths. This man was really scared, he told himself. Some people speak boldly to tell themselves they are equal with the other individual.

Luckily, Ocelot loved to play games as well. "Really? Well, if you seem to have trouble with remembering things, I'm sure our medics can make a medicine that erases all of your memory for good. You wouldn't want that... would you?" He gave a fake sympathetic frown. The other man's face turned pale, matching his light blonde hair. He grunted before shaking his head slightly, furrowing his brows while glaring at the floor to avoid eye contact. Kaz gave a nod of approval, admiring Ocelot's swift way of shutting up the hostage.

"Now, let's try that again," he spoke. " . .Here."

The man scoffed before lifting his head. "None of your business, cowboy."

Ocelot hissed inside, but kept his cool composer. He clenched his fists in order to keep all the anger in one place. It would do no good if he beat this man. But he knew that he was a coward who feared death. Pulling out his revolver, he aimed it forward with a click.

"I wouldn't test my patience, barbie doll. Don't think I wouldn't pull the trigger, because I will." He was never the type of person to threaten someone else unless that other person was also armed. He saw the fire in the man's eyes extinguish quickly. His heart was beating so hard he could have sworn the room was vibrating to the pulse. Ocelot smirked, enjoying seeing this man panic. He was amazed the poor soul hadn't begged for mercy yet. He was always a beggar, and got whatever he wanted. It was disgusting. The man had always acted like a child in the day, and a whore at night. It bothered him to even think about how this man even survived. What did he have to do in exchange for a few more seconds of life? Maybe if he pulled the trigger it would put this monster out of its misery, and it would certainly relieve everyone else from trouble.

"Ocelot, what are doing to the poor man," A voice came from behind, gruff and stern. He wasn't even asking a question. It sounded as if he was being caught like a cat who scratched the curtains again. It sounded as if he took pity on the man rather than wanting to know the truth. The hostage's eyes widened.

"You're Ocelot?! That whiney brat who had a crush on the American? Sukin syn! Don't tell me this man with the rock in his head is the American dog!" At this point he was laughing- not because it was funny, but because he knew he was fucked.

"And this is?" Kaz interjected, feeling like a ghost in the room. Ocelot sighed and stood up, then set the gun on the table before jazzing his hands.

"Boss, you should be familiar with this man. He was the one you stole the uniform from back in Operation Snake Eater."

Venom Snake's dead expression showed no trace of reminiscence, which shouldn't be surprising. Kaz looked as if a cheap magic show was being performed.

"So, who is he?"

After the laughing has stopped, Ocelot turned his head backward towards the man then back to Big Boss. "Boss... meet Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov."

"That's Major Raikov to you," the man interjected sharply.

Ocelot ignored him. "I assumed he had heard the word about our nation and wanted to join. But I just don't see Raikov as a man to cooperate with."

Big Boss glanced at the russian, who stared at him back. "Put him in a cell. No food or water for three days until he chooses to talk." He whispered to Ocelot, who smiled in relief.

"Right away, Boss." He was happy to see this man get what he deserves. He realized that lack of nutrition was Raikov's major weakness, most likely a precise reason why Venom Snake chose it as torture.

Before the Boss exited the room, he turned to Kaz. "Make sure this man doesn't get hurt. He's a masochist, he gets off on that type of stuff." The man in the sunglasses wrinkled his face in disgust before lifting himself up on his crutch and leaving the room as well.

"You do realize that we're going to have to kill Raikov sooner or later, right?" Ocelot said, both men staring off into the sunset.

"Don't end up like Kaz. Raikov might be useful. Plus, I doubt he'd do any harm. With a little training, even a little dirt can form into a diamond."

"I hope so... Cause if he screws up, allow _me_ to pull the trigger this time, Boss."


	2. Chapter 2

He _despised_ this. Trapped in a cage like a wild animal. Hell, it would have made more sense if _Ocelot_ was in it rather than himself. It had been- what... _six hours?_ A quarter of his day wasted because of nothing. _I didn't even do anything to deserve this,_ he hissed in his head. Raikov continued to lie on the bed staring that the top of the cell. His mind wandered, reminding himself why he was here. It should not only calm the anger boiling inside of him, but it might also kill some time. He was still surprised by the fact that both Ocelot _and_ the Snake man were working together, when before, they were enemies.

" _That's_ Raikov?" he overheard a visiting soldier speak out of disbelief. He didn't bother to turn his head and cause him to flee, not that any man would. The fear died out as soon as word came out that the Colonel had died. Ever since then, his former comrades grew bold and betrayed him. _Cowards._ He cleared his head of the memory and closed his eyes, attempting to doze off. The conversation continued.

"Yeah, I know. I was expecting someone more… _sinister_ looking, like Skull Face. This guy looks like a kid! I wonder what's going to happen if he meets the Eli."

"I don't even wanna be there when that happens. Two manipulating children would kill each other."

" _Manipulating? What do you mean?"_

" _Didn't you know? He was once the lover of Colonel Volgin."_

Raikov ears perked.

"Oh, right. I remember that. I heard he was the only man to "tame" him. Rumor has it that he was just using him for-."

The soldier suddenly felt his whole body weight being slammed into the bars, a tight grip clutching his uniform on the other side of the cell. The prisoner's glare shot right through him like a rifle. It was his own fault for his own bold mouth, and the fact that he was standing too close to his cage.

"You listen here, _American Dog_ ," Raikov sneered, spitting every last word into the soldier's face.

"I am more than just a pretty face for you to gawk at. You tell your commander to let me go or else your friend will bring back whatever is left of your pathetic corpse."

After a few moments of solid eye contact, the man was released. He stepped back, fixing his collar. "You bastard!" The other man shouted, placing a hand on his comrade's shoulder for support. The two men quickly ran off. Were they going to tell their boss to let Raikov go?

Probably not.

Ivan sighed as he slumped back in his bed. How did get into this situation? For the past week it was nothing but odd predicaments. He turned to face the other side so anyone who came would only see his back. He was in no mood to be humiliated again, even though the area was as empty as his soul.

It wasn't until after a few hours when he began to hear jingling coming from the boots behind him. He sat up and turned around, only to roll his eyes as soon as he saw who had arrived. _This day just keeps on getting better,_ he sighed.

"I still can't believe it's really you, _Major._ " The man said. He smiled, but Raikov could see under the façade.

He sat up and scoffed. "Still in love with the American, are you?" At this point, he was leaning against the cell facing Ocelot. His grip tightened around the bars as he saw a cocky smile spread across the other man's face.

"I wouldn't try to act so tough, Raikov. You're on _my_ base now. I have more soldiers at my command than I did on Groznyj Grad. The Boss is still hesitant on keeping you alive, so I suggest you hush your mouth before a bullet ends up filling that empty shell of a head of yours."

He gulped and placed his hand on his forehead. No matter how many times he had been punched, bit, slapped, electrocuted- death was where he drew the line. However, his stomach always came first, even when in a critical situation. He felt it growl and placed a hand over it in hope of hiding the sound, but because the area was so quiet, Ocelot had noticed and gave a triumphant smirk. Raikov cursed himself for not eating that sea lice he had found crawling on the floor. It wouldn't have made much of a meal, but it would have satisfied himself. He looked up at the man. "How much longer before I can be released?" he asked.

Ocelot folded his arms and leaned on one side. "By the looks of it, you still have two days."

"What?! I'll be dead by then!"

He shrugged. "Relax, you won't starve. Besides, You might gain some calories from doing… _certain_ exercises. I'm sure Volgin has taught you how to do that."

"At least I can please someone I care about when using the skills they taught me."

"Your insults don't work on me anymore, Raikov. They're also getting more pathetic- you're losing your touch." He leaned in closer, but quickly leaned back after dodging a vicious swipe. He fixed his scarf. "Besides, at least someone I care about is still alive. Can you say the same?" He gave a slick smile before turning around and walking away. For once, he has won the battle of wits against the former Major.

Anger boiled in Ivan's body. He slammed his hands on the bar. "DAMN YOU TO HELL!" He roared. It echoed throughout the Quarantine platform, leaving a few new prisoners nearby telling him to shut up.

Great. _Company._ There were two soldiers, but they definitely weren't the same pair as yesterday. He wondered if they have been replaced because of him, or was that how shifts worked? Whatever the reason, the former pair wasn't as _obnoxious_ as the new one. Sure, the first ones talked, but at least they didn't _cackle like crows._ The fact that they were speaking _Russian_ made it even worse. They must have assumed that he spoke English only, even though his name was Russian. They were obviously telling jokes, whether if they were about him or not. He didn't care what they were talking about, but they needed to stop that… _noise_. If he were in charge, he would have knocked the lights out of their skulls and cut off their tongues. He smiled to himself. Those were the good days...

After a few minutes, the sound had abruptly stopped. No dying chuckles, no sighs, nothing. Their laughter was cut off… were they murdered? If so, that must be awful- for him, since his life would be in danger. At first, he felt suspicious, but then he enjoyed it. He could finally rest in peace and lower his guard…

Until…

Raikov felt his face suddenly slam against the bars. A hand was forcing him down toward a man's belt level.

" _Vy dumaete, čto on sdelaet èto?"_ he heard him speak. His friend replied with a chuckle, then pulled on the blonde's hair.

" _Ja uveren, čto on imel tonny parni delajut èto s nim."_

Despite being forced, Ivan wasn't really surprised. He already knew the kind of atmosphere he was in. The second he saw those two… _mudaki._ This base was full of savage traitors who abandoned their motherland just to become petty mercenaries. Did these men have any pride at all? Suddenly, the pulling had stopped, and Raikov heard collapsed to the ground then helped himself up, fixing his matted hair. Looking up, he saw one man already tackled to the floor while other was crouching and cradling his arm, which bent in an awkward angle.

"Hvatit," Another man said, glaring down at the two soldiers. "Any act of sexual harassment, even if it is a joke, will be automatically sent to clean the bottom of the base for two months with a broken arm. The next time I see you doing this I'll fulton your asses off this base. Do I make myself clear?"

The two men nodded quickly, carrying their broken limbs and whimpering to themselves as they shuffled away and onto a chopper. Snake shook his head and turned toward the prisoner, who narrowed his eyes at him.

"Breaking arms just for that?"

"If that's too extreme for you, then-"

"Extreme? Ha! That was _weak_. The _least_ you could have done would have been tossing them into the ocean and force them to swim back, or you could have broken their noses.."

Venom narrowed his eye as he pulled out a cigar. "I wasn't protecting you." he said with the cigar in his mouth, flicking the lighter. "I was protecting them. If I let them act this way they'll get themselves killed. Those soldiers who attacked you meant no harm, but they were reckless. A member had lost his finger to a prisoner when he was trying to give her a shirt."

 _Her?_

"So, can I eat?" Raikov pressed his face against the bars, suddenly losing his train of thought.

The man was waiting for a response as he watched the lighter continuously being flicked casually, only producing minor sparks. Venom had noticed and gave up, realizing that the lighter was empty. He grumbled and put in in his pocket.

"Are you ready to talk?" he asked, pulling out another lighter. The man didn't seem to be in a rush. Maybe Ocelot was right, _this man didn't care whether if he was breathing or a rotting corpse._

The prisoner stepped back. "The hell I am! I just want something to eat!"

The man gave a false pitying smirk and began to walk off. "You heard me when I said that you couldn't eat or drink for three days. The punishment would already be over if you simply talked. Suit yourself then, I'll add an extra day for you."

"You can't do that! I'll starve!"

"Then I suggest that you'd better start talking before you'll die of thirst as well. You die from that much faster than hunger."

If it wasn't for his stomach slashing his insides apart he would have _mutilated_ the men who were grabbing him and forced a bag over his head. So much for an extra day. After a few hours he had his arms pressed against his back and escorted out of his cell. Did they have to be so rough?

Wherever he was going, he felt himself being carried onto a loud vehicle. He grunted as he was pushed into a seat. As he stood to leave, he was knocked back as he felt the ground below him levitate into the air.

The ride was silent, leaving Ivan to deal with his motion sickness. For once, he was glad he hadn't eaten, for his weak stomach would have rejected everything into his face since it was covered with the bag. He tried to remember his steps to take his mind off the ride. He remembered walking in straight line, up a staircase, another straight line, and into a vehicle, which was probably a chopper. This meant that the base was much bigger than what he had thought. _So escaping would be impossible._

He felt relief as soon as he felt the chopper land. Without a second thought, he immediately leaped off to where he felt an empty space. Unfortunately, he lost his footing, causing him to collide into steel floor and his bag to slip off. He heard the soldiers gasp and opened his eyes- but he immediately felt a hard punch in the back of his head before he managed to see anything. It was just darkness.

Raikov heard mumbling in the background. His head was throbbing, and he groaned as soon as a strong light glared into his eyes. The mumbling stopped. His vision was blurry for the moment, but he was able to make out the shapes that approached him. One in particular had an orange jacket and a red scarf. _Not this asshole again..._

The man opened his arms, welcoming his guest. "Raikov, glad you could join us for _lunch_." He pulled out a chair and graciously sat down. Raikov wanted to punch this man in the face, but as he wiggle his arms, he realized that they have been restrained. He didn't even know that he was even _sitting._

Ocelot was about to say something, but he paused to pick up what sat in front of him on a decorated plate. It was a burger, which was, unfortunately for him, his _favorite_ food. It was the fattiest, greasiest, most flavorful food he was ever introduced to. What was worse was that it was _Ocelot_ whom had introduced it to him. He was the _only_ man who knew his weaknesses, even some things Volgin never knew.

Ocelot examined the burger thoughtfully making sure that Raikov's eyes were on him. He waved it leisurely in front of Ivan's face, who felt a strong growl echoing from inside him as the mouthwatering scent caught his nose. It did _not_ appreciate being teased.

"Oh, come on now, _Major,_ " The man cooed, slightly squeezing the food so Raikov could take a glance at the juicy meat and crispy vegetables inside. They way the cheese melted in between was _perfect_. He tightened his eyes and turned his head away. There was a muffled laugh coming from behind him. This was a trick, and he knew it. However, his stomach couldn't have cared any less. There was nothing else on the table, forcing his instincts to control what was important to concentrate on.

He snapped at the burger, but it was quickly drawn away. He growled as the Commander laughed. He never minded the man's pranks- but _this?_ That was a new low, even for _him._

"You know… It is truly amazing how long the human body can survive without a meal. After you eat, your body continues to function normally. But…" He then took a large, slow bite. The crunching of the lettuce drove Ivan mad.

"Mm...After around six hours, that glycogen beings to run out, and this is when your brain starts to make irrational decisions because of the lack of energy it needs. It doesn't last forever though, because when your body realizes it isn't getting anymore glycogen, it will enter a stage where it begins to break down excess fat for energy. That is called ketosis, and it isn't really a bad thing, until you hit the seventy-two hour mark." Ocelot sat the burger down and wiped his mouth. Then, he took the plate and dumped the food into the trashcan next to him. Raikov's eyes widened as he eyed the poor meal being abandoned into the greedy void in the bin. He whimpered. _Such a waste of food..._

Ocelot was then given a small soda can and opened it slowly. Raikov cringed at pop from the can and the gas seeping through. He tried to block out the loud gulping noises that tightened his throat. He could almost taste the sweet liquid that was in that can.

The man continued after he finished his drink. "Your brain starts beginning to decide that it needs more energy to survive. Your body starts to break down its own proteins so that it can use their amino acids to form glucose. This means your body literally cannibalizes itself and eats away at your muscle tissue just to stay alive. It will continue to eat and eat…" He paused to flick the can twice. "...until you become nothing but a hollow shell."

Raikov was licking his lips eagerly. His stomach was at the point of eating itself.

"Seeing how you were such a good listener, how about we reward you?" He waved a hand, sending a nearby soldier to come towards the table and place a large plate of shredded meat. He felt rivers of saliva drooling down his mouth. It looked fresh and it smelled appetizing.

He eagerly smashed his face into the place to devour the food. He was swallowing every bite whole like a snake. He looked up and noticed Ocelot cracking a grin, but he didn't care. It was then he had realized, his mouth began to burn. His taste buds received a sour taste followed by a strong flavor of…

Salt.

He immediately spat out everything in his mouth onto the floor. He body squirmed in his seat as he gagged, hoping for the awful taste to leave his dry throat.

Ocelot glanced over. "Looks like your greed has gotten the best of you. Either way, when you're starving, your body ignores the foul smell of food by tricking your brain into making it more appealing. What was on that plate to you looked like an equivalent to a batch of fresh baked cookies."

"What were they….." he rasped. Daggers were shooting from his eyes in hopes of actually killing everyone in the room, but instead, he looked insane, widening his eyes and gaping his mouth open. His skin felt tight and as the remaining water from his body slowly dried up.

"Sardines," Ocelot replied, amused. "They are preserved salty by factories, and they go beyond your usual amount of sodium requirement. They were shredded so no one we fed them to could recognize them."

The prisoner almost heaved. "Wa...Water!"

"Will you talk?"

" _Kill yourself!"_

"Then I hope you like salt. In fact, you're going to _finish_ that entire plate." Ocelot suppressed a smile as he watched the man struggled out of his restraints, but they were too tight and made red marks on his skin. Raikov was thrashing around and spitting curses. He then grabbed the plate with his bare teeth and lashed it across the room. Ocelot dropped his smirk and frowned, that plate was one of the good ones sent in from a gourmet restaurant as a gift.

The man was shouting. "Fine, fine! I'll talk."

"Give him some water." Ocelot waved a finger at a soldier, who brought out a canteen of water and held it in front of the prisoner.

Raikov quickly snatched the canteen before it was placed on the table. He held in between his teeth and flipped his head back. The cool water was chugged down, quenching his dry throat and feeling a wave of relief flood over him. Once he was done, he tossed the empty canteen across the room and wiped his mouth with his shoulder. He burped before slouching in his seat, feeling somewhat satisfied from the meal. Ocelot frowned at his behavior. No matter what situation he was in the man always had his ego right next him, even if it would have costed his life.

Ocelot slammed a hand on the table."What do you know?"

" _Ya predpochel by umeret', chem skazat' vam_." Raikov said, then spitting on the table and sneered.

The red color that spread throughout Ocelot's face caught everyone off guard. He flipped the table over, knocking it across the room." _You son-of-a-bitch!_ You're still the same damn prick you were twenty years ago!" The soldiers flinched. Ocelot was the master of interrogation. He knew how to find the breaking point of any kind of man- but the one that was here right now, it was _he_ who broke _Ocelot_.

"That's what you get, _svoloch_!" The two men stared each other down. Both eyes were locked solid on each other, searching for smallest traces of retaliation. It was then when Ocelot broke eye contact and shrugged.

"Alright, I tried being nice," he sighed. His body expressions smoothed out, returning to a calmer state. He motioned a few soldiers over. "Throw him in the Training Hall. We'll get him to talk this time."

" _This_ is how you're going to get me to talk? You're all out of your minds!" Raikov shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the cheering of the men spectating on the rails.

He was standing on a mat inside a large area. The training equipment was placed aside and only one hanging light illuminated the area, focusing only on him and his opponent, who emerged from the shadows.

Despite being in a pressuring situation, the sight made him laugh. " _A woman..._ Fighting _me? HA!"_ What ocelot had said was true… he _was_ losing his mind.

"How is a _woman_ supposed to fight me… She's not even clothed!" The crowd immediately dropped fell silent and stared in sheer horror.

"He's doomed," Kaz sighed, shaking his head. He looked to his side and noticed Ocelot, who was burying his face in his hands to muffle his wild laughter. He thanked whatever god was out there for giving him this moment. It was a shame he didn't have a tape recorder, but he wasn't going to be picky. Things like this only happened once in a lifetime. Kaz rose a brow at the commander. "What did that man do to you…" he murmured, then proceeded to view the fight.

"Why doesn't she have anything on?" Raikov continued cockily, ignoring the _prickly_ glare being shot right through him. "Don't tell me she's a prostitute, ha!"

The woman came closer, her expression felt cold even though she did not speak. She carried no weapon, for none would have been necessary. She was the predator, slowly making her way over towards her prey, who was making _so_ many wrong moves it was almost pitiful.

"And another thing," Raikov said, then suddenly paused, feeling a weird jolt crawl up his spine. He quickly leaned left, dodging a fist that had cut through the air like lightning. He spun around, now staring into the eyes of Death itself. He had done it now. His instincts finally kicked in, telling him to beat it. But before he even moved, a tightening grip latched onto his arm and flung his entire body across the room.

The man collided into the wall, emitting a loud thud. He grunted as his body fell to the floor, trying the recover from the sudden shock. He slowly got back up on his feet. As he tried to feel his back to check for any bruises a sudden pain shot through his arm. He winced. _My arm… I can't move it!_ His arm must have popped as he was flung across the area. Panic spread throughout Raikov's mind as he struggled to back away from Terminator who was slowly approaching towards him. In the background, the men had begun to shout and cheer for the fight.

Kaz scoffed. "Is this really fair? He can barely even move. "

"I wouldn't be talking if I were you. _You_ had _your_ revenge with Skull Face- and now, _I_ am having _mine_."

"He'll die, especially with Quiet toying with him."

"Then if he wants to live, he'll talk. If not… let's just say, this might cure my insomnia."

For the past ten minutes, it was nothing but dodging punches and kicks. It was rather impressive, that a weak man like him was surviving for this long. It wasn't until Raikov had lost his balance and realized how open he had left himself at that moment. Quiet twirled and landed a blow in his side. He collapsed into the floor and breathed heavily. His body had decided to call quits. It had used up all its remaining nutrition- now he's nothing more than a ragdoll. It's over.

No, that was wrong.

There wasn't time to play the 'weak man', for he was Raikov. He commanded an army. He ran a base. He even survived having a fork shoved up his ass- _twice._ The fight was merely the bite of a flea. Pain was nothing, for the Colonel could have done a lot worse, and he'll be damned if he even considered this as a real fight. His body was designed to take whatever-

" _Ow! Stop! I'll talk, I'll talk!"_

Never mind.

Quiet slammed her foot into his rib, cracking it in the processes. She then grabbed a handful of his matted hair and pulled him up. The crowd around her roared in satisfaction. " _Finish him! Finish him!"_

This time, for sure, all of his dignity has been lost. First of all, he was beaten by a woman. Second, _Ocelot_ was watching the whole thing.

The world around him blurred. He heard ringing in his ear. His head was throbbing again, trying to pump as much blood into the brain as it could. His eyes began to close. He was so tired… He wondered how he ended up here, beaten up and humiliated by old enemies.

A gunshot went off in the room. Raikov felt his weight being released and dropped to the floor. He opened his eyes and looked up, seeing Ocelot standing before him. He gave a smirk before turning around to face the rest of the men.

"As entertaining as it is, we have to stop." He gave a quick glance at the Russian, who was kneeling on the floor with blood trickling from his nose. "He has chosen to cooperate this time, hopefully. However," he walked over toward Raikov and bent down. He raised the man's chin so they were seeing eye-to-eye again. "If he lies again and continues to hold his tongue… we'll just have to make him suffer even more. Up to the point where you no longer become useful to us and get _shot."_

While the deadly woman and the spectators were sent back to their quarters, Raikov was given a wet rag, when suddenly, Ocelot had noticed and quickly snatched it. Kaz gave a questioned stare. Ocelot shook his head. "If this man recovers even _one percent_ of his injuries his stubbornness would set right back to _one hundred._ We finally have him cracked, and I don't think you want to start over, right?"

Kaz nodded, then looked down at the Russian as soon as he heard Venom's footsteps from behind him. "Tell us what you know," the man said.

Raikov was clenching his fists and snarling, blood trickling from his jaw. The second a glimpse of defiance flashed in his eye, Ocelot quickly drew out his revolver at the man's glistening forehead. The blonde glared at the muzzle of the weapon and gritted his teeth. "Fine," he muttered lowly, breaking into a cough. "I'll tell you." The man sighed as the gun was drawn back. He laid back so he was sitting up on the stained floor.

"After you freed me from my cell I quickly left your nation. I never wanted fame, I just wanted Colonel Volgin back. I stayed in Russia undercover until I heard about you forming a new base. I thought that by kidnapping the infamous Big Boss I couldn't find out what had happened to the Colonel's remains. "

Ocelot cut in."You damn fool, what were you thinking about going against an army."

"Let him talk." Snake held a hand up in front of the man's face, urging Raikov to go on, but the man had collapsed. His body had hit the floor and he was out cold.

He sighed. "Alright. Take him to the Medical Platform and get him all patched up. Make sure he's able to walk properly by tomorrow, I'll need him by then."

Before he left, Ocelot placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do we tell him? If Raikov finds out that the Colonel has been _killed_ twenty years ago he won't cooperate anymore."

Snake turned around. "Ocelot, we just found out how useful the man really is. He knows more about the Soviets than any of us do. Their, plans, location, _everything_. People want him _dead,_ so if we allow him to live, he'll have no choice but to cooperate."

"And how are we going to do that? Beating him to a pulp can only work for a few times. He'll start to like it probably."

"Give me some time. I'll think of something."

Trapped- _again_. Only, rather than a steel plate, he stared at the tiles in the ceiling of the hospital room. He mind was focused on the burning sensation through his body. It reminded him of the Colonel. That same pain he felt in the mornings, he loved it. Oh, how he would have given up the souls of every soldier he was in command of in order to relive that time again. His thoughts were then interrupted by a knock on the door.

"What." he replied crankily.

If he had a Russian Ruble for every time he saw that damn man approach him he could probably replace the _Philosopher's Legacy._ Why couldn't he just leave him alone?

The man pulled up a chair and sat down by his bed. He went straight to the point. "It was about time you talked. Quiet would've killed you thanks to your mouth. It is truly a shame, with a skill like that, you waste it on setting an image for yourself."

Raikov scowled. "If you have come here to boast you might as well leave."

The Commander held his hands up in defense. "What's with the hostility? I've only come to explain how you'll be cooperating with us."

"He's right," said another voice. A man walked in the room with a military uniform folded over his arm. He then tossed it at Ivan, who helplessly caught it with his face.

"Snake?" Ocelot raised a brow. He couldn't have possibly-

"Congratulations, Ivan Raidenovitch Raikov." The man said.

Raikov gave a skeptical look at the uniform. "For what?"

"You are now one of us. Welcome to Diamond Dogs."

"WHAT," the two men both widened their eyes, jaws dropped.

Ocelot immediately rose up from his chair and briskly walked towards Venom. " _Outside,_ " he gritted through his teeth. " _Now_."

Once the men were outside, the man took a deep breath before he snapped. "Are you insane?! We can't have him here!"

"And why not, Ocelot?" Kaz interrupted, coming from the hallway entrance. "Anyone is allowed. Anyone could be a potential ally. _You_ said those things, no?"

"He _is_ the enemy!"

"So is Quiet, but you _persist_ on keeping her when I don't agree to it."

"But he is dangerous!"

"Don't act like Quiet wasn't apart of Cipher."

"That was different- I know this man, and he for sure is _not_ a good guy."

"He was a Major of a small army, while _you_ are _triple spy_ , Ocelot. _You,_ out of all people, have no right to say who is the threat."

The man huffed and paced around, boots clacking aggressively against the marble floor. He began to murmur something under his breath that the other two men couldn't catch. He then stopped, shook his head to himself, then walked right up to Kaz, pointing a stern finger at his face. "Fine," he hissed. "But don't expect me to babysit him. He's _your_ responsibility." After making his point clear, the commander stormed off, twirling his revolvers vigorously as an attempt to calm himself down. Venom shook his head and ran a hand across his hair. _These two need to stop._

They went back inside the room and frowned. While they were gone, the Russian made an attempt to hop out of bed to reach for the gun that was placed on the table on the other side of the room. Kaz cleared his throat, which caught the man's attention quick. He immediately leapt into his bed, suddenly realizing the pain he had caused to his body, for it was still healing. The man was hopeless.

"I don't ever recall saying that I wanted to join you," Raikov said with a scowl.

Kaz noticed a vein popping out of Snake's forehead. It looked like the Major was getting on his nerves too. He quickly stepped in. "You don't have to. But you do realize that you would have to be killed, right?"

His mouth fell open."Wha-! Why?!"

He scoffed. "You think we'd let anyone out of here with the knowledge of our location? Before they leave the base, we inject a chemical that causes the hippocampus to remove a selected memory after hypnosis. Ocelot is an expert on that, so he might know a bit more than me."

"But, why do _I_ have to die?"

Snake walked up to the man's bed. "We received a request a few months ago wanting you found and dead. The price isn't high but it could still be good for the base. Either way, we earn something- be it a new member or a few thousand dollars."

The room was quiet. Raikov was tracing his finger across his bed, refusing to make anymore eye contact with the shadow looming over him. This time, he was cornered. There was no other way to slither out of this. It was a "join or die" situation. He certainly didn't like everyone's attitude, that's one thing for sure. Everyone used violence as a form of communication- who would do that kind of crazy thing? He wasn't liking

"So... what happens to me now?" he mumbled. The two other men sighed in relief, and Kaz flashed a wicked grin. Ocelot was going to _loath_ him for this. He didn't care how important Raikov was- he just wanted to find a way for Ocelot to rip his own hair out.

Venom stepped closer and crossed his arms."Well first, we're going to have to get rid of that pride of yours, and I know exactly what you need."


End file.
